Collecting and delivering device



June 25, 1929. B. G!LBERT ET AL 1,71

COLLECTING AND DELIVERING DEVICE Filed Jan 20, 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet l Zwuentom IsRAEL'B. GILBER'E WILLIAM G. ME/NERS,

/ I Sue/w s I June 25, 1929. i. B. GILBERT ET AL 1.718.414

COLLECTING AND DELIVERING DEVICE Filed Jan. 20, 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet- 2 IQEL.

ISRAEL B.GILBER7: gaff: WILLIAM G. MEINERS,

. saw

June 25, 1929. B. GILBERT ET AL 1,718,414

COLLECTING AND DELIVERING DEVICE Filed Jan. 20, 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 EMA/JV aw v/ I V 55 3B 1;

ISRAEL 6. GILBERZ' WILLIAM G. NEH/[R5,

attorney 3 June 25, 1929.

I. B. GILBERT ET AL COLLECTING AND DELIVERING DEXICE Filed Jan. 20, 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 H We ISRAEL B-GILBERZ WILL/AM G. Mews/e i a y i June 25, 1929. 1. B. GILBERT ET AL COLLECTING AND DELIVERING DEVICE 7 Filed Jan; 20, 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 m MUS W 18 .315 M 5G M am A RH Aw Hui Patented June 25, 1929.

warren STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ISRAEL B. GILBERT AND WILLIAM G. MEINER-S. OF CINCINNATI, OHIO; SAID GILBERT ASSIGNOR TO FRANK X.

MEINERS, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

COLLECTING AND DELIVERING DEVICE.

Application filed January An object of our invention is to provide a device for operation in conjunction with an envelope making machine whereby an assortmeat of circulars, cards or other; pieces of mailing matter or papers is gathered and positioned upon an envelope blank, which blank subsequently formed into an envelope containing the selected assortment of circulars or the like.

Another object is to provide a device of this kind which is automatic in operation and which can be taken care of by the operator of the e velope making machine to which the device is attached.

Another object is to provide a device of this kind which will select and deliver a uniform assortment of circulars, cards and the like to an envelope making machine. thereby elim inating the omissions and duplications common in assortments gathered by hand.

Another object is to providea device of this kind vhich is rapid in operation and requires a minimum of attention on the part of the operator.

These and other objects are attained by the means described herein and disclosed in the accompanying drawings, in which:

F ig. 1 is a plan view of a device of our invention, parts being broken away, and outlying an envelope making machine to which the device is attached.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary side elevation of an envelope making machine having a device of our "ivention attached thereto.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmental detail view of the structure shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4: is an inverted plan view taken on line 4- 1 of Fig. 2, parts being broken away.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a hopper forming a detail of our invention.

Fig. 6 is an end view of the detail shown in Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 an enlarged cross sectional view taken on line 7-7 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 8 is a cross sectional view taken on line 88 of Fig. 7

Fig. 9 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken on line 99 of Fig. 3, showing the plunger of the envelope machine in a raised 50 position.

Fig. 10 a cross sectional view taken on line 10-10 of Fig. 9, but showing the plunger 20, 1925. Serial No. 3,679.

of the envelope machine in a lowered position.

Fig. 11 is a cross sectional view 11-11 of 10.

Fig. 12 is a cross sectional view on line 1212 of Fig. 9.

Fi 13 is an enlarged detail view of a cage actuating mechanism employed in the device of our invention.

Fig. let is an enlarged tragmental cross sectional view of a carrier actuating mechanism employed in the device of our invention.

The device in general comprises a plurality of hoppers for receiving stacks of circulars, cards and other pieces of mailing matter, a series of slidable carriers or shuttles, means for removing a single circular or card from each hopper and depositing the same onto the carriers as they are progressively brought into registry with the hopper, and means for delivering the completed assortment of circulars from a carrier onto an envelope blank which is subsequently formed into an envelope with the circulars contained therein. The envelope machine 10 may be of any well known or approved type having the customary plunger shaft 11, plunger 12 and envelope folding mechanism 13 actuated by any suitable means such as by cams mounted upon a cam shaft 14. The sorting or gathering mechanism indicated generally as 15 may be conveniently mounted upon an extension of the work table 16 of the envelope machine and comprises stationary table 17 suitably mounted upon the upper end of a vertical support shaft 18 mounted upon the table 16 by any suitable means. A'collar 19 encircles the shaft 18 and is secured thereto by any suitable means such as a set screw or the collar 19 may be eliminated and the shaft 18 provided with a bearing shoulder for accomplishing the same purpose. A perforate plate 20 is provided with a perforate lug 21 extending from its periphery and the lug 21 is pivotally mounted to a pitman 22 which has its opposite end 23 pivotally and eccentrically mounted upon a rotatable disc 24 which may be actuated by any suitable means 100 such as a shaft 25 driven by means of bevel gears 26 and 27 from the cam shaft 14 of the envelope machine. The plate 20 carries a pawl 28 which engages the teeth 29 of a ratchet 30 on line formed integral with or secured to rotating table 31. The mechanism just described serves to impart intermittent rotatory motion to the rotating table 31. The rotating table 31 is provided with a number of radial slots 32 for example eight as disclosed herein. The side walls of the slots 32 are each provided with recessed ways 33. A carrie or shuttle 34 extends through each of the slots 32 and is provided with roller bearings 35 engaging in the ways 33 on the opposite sides of the slots. Each carrier 34 is pro vided adjacent its forward end with an up standing flange 36 and a tapered or inclinec face 37 extending forwardly therefrom. A pair of spaced lugs 38 project from the lower side of the carrier for a distance beyond the lower face of the movable table or plate 31. The upper face of the movable plate 31 carries a broken or interrupted flange or track 39, the broken ends or terminations 40 of which are disposed a short distance from the edges of the slots 32.

' It will be apparent that by means of the structure thus far described the pitman being reciprocated because of its eccentric mounting upon the disc 24 will oscillate the plate 20 carrying the pawl 28 which in turn will'engage the teeth 29 of the ratchet 30 and impart intermittent rotation to the plate 31. The movement of the pitman 22 and the pawl and ratchet 2829 are so arranged as to bring the slots 32 in the movable table 31 into registry With a given stationary point at each movement of the rotatable table 31. lVhile the rotatable table is disclosed herein as having eight slots and carriers, it should be understood that this number may be varied to accommodate the desired number of circulars or pieces of malling matter which are to be assorted, the number of slots 32 and carriers 34always being one greater than the largest number of circulars to be asserted.

The stationary table 17 carries a series of radially disposed hoppers 41 which extend beyond said stationary table and overhang the movable table 31. The hoppers are provided with a pivotal mounting 42 so that said hoppers may be adjustably secured in an inclined position. By disposing the hoppers in an inclined position, the weight of a stack of circulars is disposed partly against the side wall of the hopper so that-single circulars may be readily removed from a suitable opening in the bottom of the hopper. Any suitable means may be employed for effecting the inclined positioning of the hoppers 41 for example, a tightening screw or wring nut and bolt 43. A weighted arm 44 is pivotally mounted at 45 on each of the hoppers and is adapted to have its weighted end 46 ride upon the top of the track or flange 39. The weight ed end 46 of the arm 44 will ride upon the top of the track 39 and will drop as the ends or terminations 40 in the track are sucsessively brought to said arm by the rotation of the movable table. A flange 47 extending upwardly from the table 31 lies adjacent a given side of each of the slots 32 in the table and is provided with a suitable means for engaging 7 or gripping a circular or piece of printed matter protruding through the opening 48 in the bottom of a hopper 41. This may be accom plished in any approved manner as for example by suction operating through an opening 49 disposed adjacent the edge of the flange 47, or mechanical gripping means may be employed if desired.

From the foregoing it will be observed that stacks of different circulars, cards or the like may be placed in the various hoppers 41 and the lowermost circular in each hopper will extend through the opening 48 therein and as the openings 49 in the movable table are brought to a position of rest beneath a given hopper that the suction in the opening 49 will hold the lowermost circular and that when the movable table again moves that the lowermost circular will be held by suction adjacent the flange 47 and will be withdrawn from the bottom of the hopper and carried beyond the hopper and that the weighted end 46 of the arm 44 carried by the hopper will subsequently ride over the end 40 of the track 39 and will drop, striking the circular and releasing said circular from the influence of the suction in the slot 491 whereupon the circular will be deposited upon the top of the table 31 with its one edge in abutment with the flange 36 of the carrier 34. The arm 44 resting on the circular holds it stationary while the table and suction opening 49 move forward. The circular is thus freed from the opening 49 and rests upon the table While the arm 44 is subsequently moved upwardly to slide over the succeeding section of track 39. l Vhen handlin relatively thin papers and circulars, such as single sheets, it is desirable to momentari v interrupt the suction through opening 49 after the arm 44 strikes the circu- 1L0 lar. It will readly be understood by those versed in the art, that any approved type of picker may be substituted for the structure embracing the suction opening 49. A portion of the circular will be deposited upon the inclined. face 37 of the carried 34. i -1 or terminations 40 of the t liciently abrupt so as to can of the arm 44 to drop from the track 39 with r i separation of a circu. holding means. As soon as the weighted end 46 of the arm 44 releases a cire suction or holding means, the moved about its pivotal mount? able or rotatable table 31 brin 47 into engagement thereu uh so cular just released is left upon the of the carrier 34. As a given one or ill) riers 34 is brought progressively beneath each of the hoppers -11 it will receive a circular or card from each of said hoppers in the manner just described so that upon completion of one revolution of the movable table the given carrier will have received a. complete assortment of circulars or the like. As disclosed in Figs. 5 and 6 the hoppers 11 are provided with slots and one wall 51 of each hopper is provided with suitable rods 52 and clamping nuts 53 for varying the width of the hopper in order to accommodate different sizes of circulars or pieces of mailing matter. By inclining the hoppers -11 the weight of a stack of circulars is carried by no of the side walls of the hoppers so that the gripping means on the movable table will not have to overcome the weight of the entire stack of the circulars. To facilitate the withdrawal of one of said circulars from the bottom of the hopper means are provided in the bottom of each hopper for reducing the friction of the weight of the circulars upon the bottom portion of the hopper. This may be readily accomplished by providing rollers extending across the bottom of the hopper.

As will be noted in Fig. 1 the hoppers are positioned above each of the slots 32 except one so that after a, given carrier 34 has been successively positioned beneath the hopper for receiving a circular. it will assume a position at 55 with the slot 32 in longitudinal alignment with the plunger 12 and also with the blank holder plate 56 of the envelope ma chine. As the given carrier 34 and the slot 32 move to the position just described as at 55, the inner faces of the lugs 38, extending from the bottom of the carrier 31. assume a position in engagement with the end 57 of the arm which is adapted to reciprocate in the slot 59 in the table 16. The arm 58 has a slot 580 in the portion thereof which is normally disposed within the slot 59. A short shaft or stud 581 extends through the slot 580 and carries atits opposite ends rollers 582 which rest upon the upper face of the table 16 on opposite sides of the slots. This structure serves to cause the end 57 of arm 58 to be reciprocated in parallelism with tables 16 and 17 when vertical reciprocation is imparted to the lower end of arm 58. The end 57 of the arm 58 has its path of travel parallel to the slot 32 and when the lugs 38 engage the end 57 of said arm the carrier 31 will be moved with said end of the arm. This motion may be imparted to the arm 58 by any suitable means such as by providing a pivotal mounting 60 for one end of the arm 58 whereby to connect said arm to a cam rod 61 operated from a cam 62 on the cam shaft 14. From the foregoing it will be observed that as each carrier 34 reaches the point on the table 17 that the lugs 38 depending from said carrier will engage the end of the arm 58 and as the end of said arm travels its path the carrier 34 will be projected through the slot 32 to the edge of the movable plate 31 and will push the accumulated group of circulars onto the blank holder plate 56 of the envelope machine. The carriers may be operated by a track cam if desired. The accumulated momentum of the group of circulars carries it across the short space between the edge of the movable table 31 and the envelope blank. As the envelope machine is in operation an envelope blank will be in position upon the plate 56 and will receive said group of circulars upon its inner panel and as the envelope machine completes its operation of folding and sealing the envelope, the group of circulars will be closed in the envelope.

In order to assure perfect positioning of the circulars upon the envelope blank, and in order to provide a new stable holding means for the envelope blank, we have devised the following structure to be associated with the usual plunger mechanism of the envelope machine. The positioning device is necessary in order that the folding mechanism of the envelope machine may perform its function with its usual accuracy. The holding means for the envelope blank is necessary because of the additional weight of the circulars which are deposited upon the envelope blank prior to the operation of the plunger thereon.

To this end there is provided a novel structure which is substantially positioned or guided by the plunger shaft 11 which carries the plunger 12. The envelope blank holder comprises a pair of parallel bars 63 having their opposite ends secured to the yoke mem ber 61 which terminates in a sleeve 65 slidably carried by the plunger shaft 11. The sleeve portion 65 carries a pair of oppositely extending pins 66 which engage in elongated escapement slots 67 in a fork 68 attached to a pivotally mounted lever 69. A pivotally mounted lever 7 O is provided with a fork 71 of a structure similar to the fork 68 and is adapted to engage pins 72 in the plunger shaft 11. The lever is actuated about its pivotal mounting by any suitable means such as a rod 73 operated from a'suitable cam 74 on the cam shaft. A connecting link mechanism 757677 connects the levers 69 and 79 and by this means the normal movement of the lever 70 for reciprocating the plunger shaft 11 will at the same time cause the lever 69 to reciprocate the sleeve 65 in the opposite direction. For convenience in description the member comprising the parallel bars 63 yoke 64 and sleeve 65 will be termed a cage designated generally as 78. From the foregoing it will be apparent that when the plunger shaft 11 and plunger 12 are being raised that the cage 78 will be lowered onto the blank holder plate 56 so that the parallel bars 63 of the cage will hold an envelope blank securely-over the opening 79 and the blank holder plate 56. In this way when a number of circulars are deposited upon the envelope blank, said blank will not. be depressed or pulled out of alignment by the weight of said circulars. In order to accurately position the group of circulars upon the rectangular center panel of the envelope blank there are pl'OVldQCl three swinging curtains 80. These curtains are disposed within the cage 78 and comprise substantially inverted L-shaped members pivoted upon the cage '78 and parallel with the bars (33 and across one end of the barsv The other end of the cage remains open so that the group of circulars may be passed between the parallel curtains 80 on the bars 63 but will be precluded from passing beyond the end of the center panel of the envelope blank by the third curtain extending between the bars 63. The upper members or flanges 81 of the curtains 80 are adapted to 1 overhang the upper face of the plunger 12 and are provided with set screws 82 which rest upon said upper face of the plunger. lVhen the plunger 12 is moved to its lowest position the weight or over balance of the flanges 81 and set screws 82 will cause the curtains 80 to swing about their pivotal mountings and assume a substantially vertical position. As the plunger again raises, the upper face will raise the set screws 82 and bring the inner faces of the curtains 8O slightly within the bounds of the opening 79 in the The various moving parts, namely the disk 24 and rod 22, the arm 58 for reciprocating the carriers 34, and the rod 73 for actuating the plunger 12 and cage 7 8 are also timed by means of the usual cams driven from the cam shaft 1 h that blankholder plate 56, see Fig. 9.

when the plunger 12 and plunger shaft are.

being raised so that the envelope making ma chine in its normal function is depositing an envelope blank upon the blank holder plate 56 the rotating table 31 comes to av position of rest with one of the slots 32 at the position designated at 55 (see Fig. 1) and the slot 32 is in alignment with the center of the cage 78. The arm 58 having been in a retracted position has received the lugs 38 of the carrier 84., and as the rod 61 is carried downwardly by the cam 62, the carrier 34 is moved outwardly in its slot- 32 to the extreme edge of the movable table 31 carrying with it the accumulated group of circulars. The plunger 12 now being at its upper limit of travel, the curtains 80 will accurately define three sides of the rectangle in perfect registry with the rectangular panel of an envelope blank which is being held in place by the bars 63 of the cage 78. The movement of the carrier 34: pushes the group of circulars into the cage where they'are positioned by the curtains 80. As the plunger 12 starts on its downward movement, the curtains 80 move out of the path of the plunger 12 and just prior to the engagement of the plunger face with the group of circulars. the cage 78 is lifted from the envelope blank and carries with it the upwardly. The envelope blank and circulars thereon are new received by the folding mechanism 88 of the envelope machine fromwhence the completed envelopes with the circulars contained therein are carried by the usual discharge mechanism (not shown).

it should be noted that in the operation of the device only the lowermost circular or piece of mailing matter need be of a size substantially equal to the size of the envelope and that to this end the hoppers are made adjustable in order that cards or pieces of mailing matter of practically any size may be added to the first full sized piece.

It is well understood that the driving means for the various moving parts may be varied in order to adapt the mechanisms herein disclosed to other types of envelope making machines without departing from the field of the instant invention. It will be apparent that the envelope machine performs each of its successive operations in making an envelope in the usual manner and that the depositing and jogging of the insert matter or group of circulars is so synchronized with the operation of the envelope machine that it will be possible for the device to form the filled envelope in substantially the same time that the envelope machine would normally form the ordinary empty envelope and that the operator need merely drop a stack of each kind of circular in the various hoppers in addition to his usual duty of replenishing the supply of envelope blanks for the envelope machine.

lVhat we claim is:

1. In combination with an envelope making machi: e comprising a plunger and envelope folding mechanism, of a plurality of hoppers for containing circulars, carriers movable beneath the hoppers, means for extracting a single circular from each hopper, means for depositin the circulars thus extracted upon the carriers as said carriers successively move beneath the hoppers, and means for successively discl'iarging the circulars from the carriers onto envelope blanks passing through the envelope making machine, the normal operation of the plunger and folding mechanism serving to enclose the circulars as the envelopes are formed.

2. In combination with an envelope making machine comprising a folding mechanism for envelope blanks, of a plurality of hoppers for containin different circulars, carriers mounted for movement beneath the hoppers, co-opcrating means for extracting single circulars from each hopper and subsequently depositin said circul ar upen a carrier, and means for succes ely discharging the accumulated circulars from the carriers onto envelope blanks before the blanks are folded by the folding mechanism.

3. In combination with an envelope making machine comprising a mechanism for receiving and folding envelope blanks, a series of carriers adapted to successively receive a single circular from successive hoppers, and means to successively discharge the carriers onto the envelope blanks, the folding mechanism serving to enclose the circulars as the envelopes are folded.

4. In combination with an envelope making machine comprising meai'is for receiving and folding envelope blanks, of'a plurality of hoppers for containing circulars, said hoppers having discharge openings in their lower ends, a table mounted for intermittent rotatable movement beneath the hoppers, carriers mounted on the table and capable of reciprocatory movement thereon, the movement of the table serving to bring each carrier successively beneath each hopper, means carried by the table for extracting a single circular from each hopper as the carriers pass the hoppers, means carried by the hoppers for releasing the circulars from the me tracting means whereby the released circular is deposited upon a carrier, and means for successively reciprocating the carriers for discharging the accunmlatcd circulars onto envelope blanks, the normal operation of the blank receiving and folding means serving to enclose the circulars as said blanks are folded.

5. In combination with an envelope making machine comprising a plunger and envelope folding mechanism, of a plurality of hoppers for containing circulars, carriers movable beneath the hoppers, means for extrating a single circular from each hopper, means for depositing the circulars thus extracted upon the carriers as said carriers successively move beneath the hoppers, means for successively discharging the circulars from the carriers onto envelope blanks, passing through the envelope making machine, holding means associated with the plunger for holding the envelope blank as the circulars are received thereon, and means carried by said holding means and operated by the plunger for positioning the circulars on the blank, the normal operation of the plunger and folding mechanism serving to enclose the circulars as the envelopes are formed.

6. The combination with an envelope machine having a reciprocating plunger rod, of means associated with the envelope machine for depositing a group of circulars upon an envelope blank in the machine, a cage slidably supported by the plunger rod and independently reciprocable thereon for holding the envelope blank when the circulars are de posited thereon, and means pivotally mounted on the cage for positioning the circulars on the blank, the normal operation of the is made.

7. In a device of the class described the combination with an envelope making machine comprising a folding mechanism, a reciprocating plunger, of means for depositing a group of circulars on an envelope blank as said blank approaches the folding mechanism, a cage supported by the plunger and independently reciprocable thereon for holding the envelope blank as the circulars are deposited thereon, movable curtains pivotal ly mounted within the cage receiving motion from the plunger for positioning the circulars on the envelope blank, the plunger serving to carry the envelope blank with the positioned circulars to the folding mechanism for forming an envelope about the circulars.

8. In a device of the class described the combination with an envelope making machine having a reciprocating plunger and a folding mechanism, of a series of hoppers for containing circulars, a plurality of carriers rotatable beneath the series of hoppers and arranged for consecutive reciprocation out of the path of rotation after each revolution, means adjacent each carrier for extracting a circular from a hopper as the carrier passes the hopper, means for depositing the extracted circular on the carrier, a. cage associated with the plunger for holding an envelope blank, curtains hingedly mounted within the cage for movement over the face of the envelope blank held by the cage, and synchronized operating means driven by the envelope machine, whereby the carriers are successively reciprocated for discharging groups of circulars on successive envelope blanks within the cage and whereby the curtains are moved to position the circulars upon the envelope blanks, the normal operation of the plunger and folding mechanism serving to fold the blank about said circulars.

9. The combination With an envelope making machine having a reciprocating plunger and a perforate blank holder plate, a cage mounted for reciprocation on the plunger and adapted to intermittently rest upon the blank holder plate when the plunger is raised, means for depositing a group of circulars upon an envelope blank beneath the cage, curtains hingedly mounted on the inner sides of the cage and adapted to be moved inwardly as the plunger rises and outwardly as the plunger descends whereby the circulars are positioned upon the blank when the plunger rises and the curtains are withdrawn as the plunger descends.

10. The combination with an envelope making machine having a vertical reciprocating plunger and a blank holder plate, of a cage supported by the plunger and capable of independent reciprocation thereon for alternately holding and releasing an envelope blank on the blank holder plate, means for depositing groups of circulars on the envelope blank While said blank is held by the cage, means carried by the cage and operated by the movement of the plunger for positioning the circulars on the envelope blank, and means for reciprocating the cage whereby the blank is held during the deposit and positioning ofthe circulars and is released when the plunger descends upon the circulars and blank, the normal operation of the envelope machine serving to enfold the circulars in the blank.

11. In combination means for supporting a plurality of stacks of circulars, carriers movable adjacent said means, a device for forming fiat blanks into envelopes, means for placing a circular from each pile upon each carrier whereby groups of circulars are gathered upon the carriers and means for causing each carrier to deposit its group 0]": circulars upon an envelope blank for permitting 1}"? isgli i the envelope forming device to enclose the circulars in the envelope formed from such blank. 7

12.1n a device of the class described the combination of an envelope making machine comprising a folding mechanism and plunger, a cage for holding successive envelope blanks, a series of successively dischargeable carriers for depositing inclosable matter on the envelope blanks as they are held by said cage and synchronized operating means for the envelope making machine, cage and carriers whereby the plunger and folding mechanism may receive an envelope blank and inclosable matter and form therefrom an envelope with the inclosable matter contained therein. I

In testimony whereof, We have hereunto subscribed our names this 7th day of January, 1925.

ISRAEL B. GILBERT. lVlLLlAM G. MEINERS. 

